Evangelism & nurturing vs buildings & budgets

I've been reading Follow Me To Freedom - Leading and Following As An Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne and John M. Perkins. Been working on it for awhile. It's the kind of book that takes me a long time to get through because I have to put it down and think about it. Fluff books I can burn through in a day or so and I save those for the days I need to completely check out from reality and not think about anything. This isn't one of those books.

This is something I came across today in Conversation 3 - The Vision (Carrying A Cause).

The vision of the family of God relies on evangelism and nurturing. We lose that focus and vision when we fuss too much over buildings, budgets and institutions. Why are we building bigger churches when we have trouble nurturing the people already coming through the doors? Too often, our vision has turned into creating institutions rather than developing people. We have to keep our focus on the people of God-reconciling them to God and to each other. John M. Perkins

Evangelism and nurturing instead of building and budgets? Who would have thunk it?!

250 people crammed into a 15x15 space...

Steven Bush has been in Ethiopia. His photos from the trip are amazing. His talent is very refreshing. I find myself agreeing with his thoughts on American churches and their need (or want) for more. Having worshipped in other countries,in tiny buildings with no air conditioning or in people's homes where the rats join you, it opens your eyes to what is real and Who is real and what really matters. So go over to his blog and see for yourself the beautiful pictures and the haunting words.